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2016 WWPA Women's Championship Tournament Central

HAYWARD, Calif. -- For the second straight year, the No. 2 seed Sonoma State women's water polo team faced off with No. 3 seed Cal State East Bay in the WWPA Women's Championship semifinals, and for the second straight year, it had to be decided in overtime, but it yielded the same heartbreaking result as the Seawolves ran out of gas in the extra period, suffering a 12-9 loss to the Pioneers on Saturday afternoon at Chabot College in Hayward.

With the loss, Sonoma will play for third place in the WWPA Championships, going up against the No. 4 seed in the tournament, Mercyhurst.  First sprint is scheduled for 11:45 am.

It was neck-and-neck for the entire 32 minutes of regulation for both teams, the first 16 minutes proved to be an offensive showcase while the last 16 minutes proved to be the opposite.  A combined 14 goals were scored by both teams in the first half, and at the halftime break, the score was deadlocked at 7-7. 

In the second half, the teams only combined for four goals.  Cal State East Bay scored both of their goals in the third quarter, the last being one that put the Pioneers ahead 9-8 with 1:35 to play in the third quarter.  Neither team would score again until Noelle Herrera fired one past CSUEB netminder Nikki Vaughan to knot the score at 9-9.  Neither team could break the tie before the regulation buzzer, sending it into overtime.

It was in the overtime period, however, that Cal State East Bay found its reserve of energy, fueled by its hometown crowd.  Having not scored at all in regulation, the Pioneers' Brandi Carroll scored all three goals in the OT period and Vaughan kept the Seawolves scoreless, securing CSUEB's third straight trip to the WWPA championship game in which they will face top-seed UC San Diego on Sunday at 1:30 pm.

Lyndsie Williams led the Seawolves on offense with three goals as Carleigh Robinson and Herrera had two goals apiece.  Ellen Peterson netted one goal and handed out three more assists.  Taylor Plorin made five saves in the cage while her counterpart, Vaughan, stopped 11 SSU shots, many at point-blank range.

Sabrina Hatzer led the charge for Cal State East Bay with four goals.